1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a peptide having osteogenetic activity and an osteogenetic accelerator containing the same as an active ingredient.
The peptide and osteogenetic accelerator containing the same as an active ingredient provided by the present invention, which have the osteogenetic activity, is useful for treatment of fractures, for inhibition of decrease in bone substance related to osteoporosis and periodontic diseases, and for prevention of fractures associated with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF) β family (Wozney, J. M. et al, Science, 242, 1528 (1988)), and its active form exists as a homodimer having a molecular weight of about 18 kD. BMP has the function of acting on undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, inducing differentiation to chondroblasts and osteoblasts and effecting chondrogenesis and osteogenesis (Wang, E. A. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87, 2220 (1990)). For this reason, BMP is expected to be effective in treatment of fractures, inhibition of decrease in the bone substance related to osteoporosis and periodontic diseases, and in prevention of fractures associated with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis and the like.
However, the above-described BMP is not absorbed in an effective amount internally when it is administered orally or endermatically, and disappears from blood or tissue within a few minutes when it is administered directly into blood vessels and tissue. However, if administered in a large amount, BMP might possibly cause various adverse effects, including toxic effects on livers and kidneys. Further, BMP has immunogenicity because of its large molecular weight, and might possibly cause anaphylactic shock when administered repeatedly. Furthermore, where BMP is impregnated in matrices of decalcificated bone or collagen for use, osteogenetic activity is expressed, but there may be another problem of antigenicity or infection attributed to the matrices.